Slow Burning Lights
by Little Dragon-kun
Summary: Unova was done for me. I had accomplished everything I possibly could. But I'm bored now. I went to Kanto with Cheren, but something still feels off. I trust him completely, but is it only trust or something more? Am I falling in love again? Rated T for now, will be bumped up to M later. CherenxOC
1. Unreasonable

_**A/N: Hello, and this is an idea that was originally going to be the sequel to my first Pokémon fanfic, but that one got my BOOT and was hence terminated. This is my OC Alana and Cheren (from Black and White Version) in the Kanto region, after Unova. **_

**Slow Burning Lights**

_Summary: Unova was done for me. I had accomplished everything I possibly could. But I'm bored now. I went to Kanto with Cheren, but something still feels off. I trust him completely, but is it only trust or something more? Am I falling in love again?_

***Unreasonable***

I stood up as the boat reached the port in Pallet Town, the starting place for all Trainers in the Kanto region. _'Finally, we're here. I think those three will like it here in my new home.' _The three I was referring to were Rayquaza, Dialga, and Mespirit; the three legendary Pokémon who stood by me when I was broken, shattered, and lost.

My name is Alana Wynters, age 18 now. I am originally from Sinnoh, but a painful part of my past forced me to leave and go to Unova. During my journey throughout the region, I eventually opened myself up and became close friends with a boy I had met: Cheren.

I trusted him now with my life, for I had seen the way he acted, and he was a truly good person. Every time I looked at him, I couldn't help but smile. But was it more than just trust?

Was it possible that I had begun to love again, after closing my heart for so long?

The boat lurched to a stop, and I stumbled a bit, nearly falling in the water. "Woah!" Cheren grabbed my arm, and his dark eyes were locked with mine. "Careful. We don't want you falling in."

His voice, a bit deeper since I first met him in Unova, sent slight shivers up my spine. Not in a bad way, either. Something about him made me blush every time we came in contact. "Thank you."

The pilot of the boat looked over his shoulder. "We're in Pallet Town. Make sure that you go see Professor Oak first. He'll know what to do." I nodded and got off with my belongings, Cheren right behind me. The boat took off and we were left alone.

Pallet Town wasn't large by any standards, especially compared to Black City and Castelia City. This new town was small, consisting of a few houses and a Pokémon Lab, most likely belonging to this Professor Oak person.

I hefted my trunk, grimacing at the weight. "Let's go see our new place first. My back feels like it wants to commit suicide." Cheren chuckled as he picked up his bag.

Due to an arrangement that my older sister Feya decided to do, Cheren and I would be in the same house together. I know, it sounds a bit weird, right?

I unlocked the door and stepped inside, marveling at the interior. "It's wonderful!" I dropped my trunk and threw three balls into the air, releasing my three most trusted legendaries.

Rayquaza shifted into his human form, along with Dialga and Mespirit. The three looked around, nodding in approval. Rayquaza looked down to me. "Very pretty. I guess this is the new place?"

I smiled as I hugged the green dragon in disguise. "Yep. We have this whole place to ourselves. Now, the living arrangements are-"

"I call dibs on the room to the left," Rayquaza interrupted. I shared a glance with Cheren, who shrugged. "It's no big deal." Dialga rolled her eyes and pulled Mespirit close to her. "We'll take the same room together." Mespirit blushed slightly. "Dia, don't say it like that." The blonde smirked. "Why, afraid they'll catch us in the act~?"

I looked upstairs, and I saw there was only one more room left. I felt my heart begin to pound against my chest. "Don't tell me…." I heard footsteps behind me, along with Cheren's voice. "Alana? What's..." He broke off as he too saw the situation. He began to turn pink in the cheeks. "Oh dear me."

"So, do we share?" I asked with a slight blush. Cheren was also embarrassed, and he looked down. "I guess…if that's alright with you, I mean."

I smiled and gave him a hug. "It is. Now come on, you don't need to be embarrassed." He sighed in agreement and he dropped his belongings on the floor, both of us going downstairs.

Dialga looked up from her position on the floor with a blushing Mespirit. "Don't worry about unpacking; we'll take care of it. You should go out and see Professor Oak at the lab."

Mespirit tried to open her mouth, but Dialga took advantage of her surprise and kissed her. "Got you~."

I laughed and walked out, Cheren behind me. We walked over to the Lab, and waiting for us was a man with gray hair and a white coat. He gave us a smile of greeting. "Hello there! I am Professor Oak! Now, you two are Alana and Cheren, correct?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but a teen with unruly brown hair burst in. "Gramps! You wanted me?" Oak nodded. "That's right." He pointed to a small table with three Pokeballs on it. "These three balls contain Pokémon! When I was in my youth, I was one serious Trainer. Now, in my old age, I think I've had enough. Alana, Cheren, go ahead and choose!"

The brunette boy began to whine. "Gramps! That's not fair! What about me!?" His whiny attitude nearly made me face-palm. _'Grow the fuck up!' _Oak sighed in slight exasperation. "Be patient, Gary. You can have one, too."

I picked up a ball, and I released the Pokémon within. A small orange lizard popped out, with a flame on the end of its tail. Professor Oak nodded. "I see! You've chosen Charmander. This little guy is really energetic, but difficult to master in its fully evolved form."

I clipped the ball to my waist. "I'm sure I can handle it, sir. Thank you very much." _'Well, this is off to a better start than Unova.'_

Cheren pushed his glasses up before he started to mull over his choices. While he did so, I felt someone's eyes burn into my back. I turned around, and that boy Gary was staring at me with a smirk on his lips. "Nice body, babe." I scoffed and rolled my eyes at the smug attitude. _'Sorry, but I'm not going out with you. Fuck no.'_

Cheren picked up his choice and released a small green dinosaur-looking creature with a bulb on its back. Professor Oak looked surprised. "Bulbasaur, huh? It's easy to train, but why that one?" Cheren patted Bulbasaur's head before standing up. "I'm good with Grass-types. Back in Unova, I had a Serperior that was my strongest."

Gary looked one last time at my body before grabbing the remaining ball. "I'll take this one, then." It was the Water-type.

I made to move out with Cheren, but Gary blocked our path. "Wait a minute, Cheren. Let's see how you battle. I'll take you on!" He released his Pokémon, and a glance at my Pokedex confirmed the name as Squirtle. Cheren sighed in exasperation. "Why should I even bother? I did beat the Elite Four at Unova."

Gary smirked. "What, afraid that your girlfriend will leave you for me if I win?" His taunt worked, and Cheren released Bulbasaur, attacking first. "Tackle!"

The green dinosaur tackled the turtle and brought its health down. Cheren did have his Serperior with him, but he didn't want to fight unfairly. _'He's so honorable. It could win anyone over.'_

Gary seemed too arrogant and whiny for my taste, and it was clear that he wanted to try and get with me. _'Ugh, I already hate him, and I've known him for only a few minutes. I think that's a new record.'_

I looked at Cheren's face as he battled Gary. "Bulbasaur, finish it off! Tackle!" The Squirtle was unable to dodge the attack, and it fainted. Gary was outraged, and it was rather amusing to me. "WHAT!? Unbelievable! I chose the wrong one!"

Professor Oak stroked his chin. "Impressive! You do live up to your name after all!" Gary was seething as he healed his Squirtle. "You got lucky. Battle your girlfriend, and see who the true master is."

I opened my mouth to let a stream of swears out, but Cheren gave me a look. I shut my mouth, and he shrugged. "Very well then. Alana, may I bother you for a match?"

I shook my head, smiling at my friend. "Not at all. You want to use our Unova Pokémon we brought?" Cheren chuckled as he cast a ball in the air. "Yep. Let's show Mister Whiny how it's done. Unfezant!" The bird Pokémon let out a caw as it was released.

I tossed my own out. "Ninetales!" The nine-tailed fire fox appeared, her eyes flickering towards me. Cheren put his arm out. "Aerial Ace!"

"Fire Blast!"

The Unfezant took the full brunt of the fire attack, and it still managed to land its attack on Ninetales. The Flying-type didn't have the offensive power, but it had the speed advantage. Both Pokémons' health were nearly three-quarters down.

"Unfezant, Hurricane!" The twister of wind picked up Ninetales, who began to struggle. I refused to break. "Extrasensory!"

The Psychic attack took out the Unfezant, but Ninetales was also done. Both fell, fainted. We each drew another ball.

"Haxorus!"

"Hydreigon!"

The three-headed hydra looked at Cheren's Haxorus and growled, both dragons eager to fight and show their power.

"Haxorus, Dragon Claw!"

"Hydreigon, Draco Meteor!"

With Hydreigon having a big advantage in speed, she was able to avoid Haxorus's attack. She summoned the meteors, and Haxorus let out a roar as it fainted. Cheren smiled at me. "Still as good as ever, Alana."

He called by his dragon, and he sent out Simipour. Bugger.

"Simipour, Ice Beam!"

"Fly!"

The dragon flew up, out of reach of the Ice Beam. A good thing too, as even she couldn't handle an ice attack. If it had hit, Hydreigon might have fainted.

She slammed into the Simipour from above, and the Water-type fell over. It got back up and blasted it with a wave of water. "Surf!"

Hydreigon's flight stuttered, and Cheren pressed his advantage. "Ice Beam!" The attack hit her, and she fell on the ground in defeat. Her battle was over. I called her back, letting her rest. "You did well."

I brought out the one I thought was a walking tank, and Gary stumbled back as he saw what I selected. "You are kidding me!" It was a Metagross.

Cheren raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you might have an advantage there. Scald!"

I chuckled as the water attack bounced off of Metagross's armor. "Earthquake!" Metagross reared up on its back legs and slammed them on the ground, the massive tremor taking the Simipour out.

Cheren watched as he finally saw he was going to lose, and he bowed. "You have won. You're still as good as ever, Alana." We both knew that we still had both our starters from Unova, but he wanted to end this quickly. I couldn't blame him.

Gary snorted. "Whatever. I'll battle with my Pokémon to toughen it up. Gramps, Cheren, Sweetheart; Smell ya later!" I turned away in disgust at his nickname for me. _'Ugh. He actually tried to flirt.'_

Cheren put his arm on my shoulder, shaking his head. "Alana, just let it go for now. He's the one being unreasonable, not us."

I sighed, shaking my head. "He's a real asshole. Professor Oak, why is he like that?"

The professor chuckled. "I have no idea, Alana. Maybe he sees a rivalry for you with your friend." He pointed to Cheren, and I didn't need any help putting two and two together. "Seriously? He needs to get a life. We're friends; that's it." _'Although it really doesn't seem to be just that. Am I…feeling a certain way again?'_

I shook my head quickly. Professor Oak looked at us both. "Well, don't just stand here! Go out and explore a bit! I recommend going to Viridian City to see the PokeMart to see what possible merchandise is available."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

With Cheren by my side, we walked out of the lab and started to walk towards Viridian. About two minutes in, I turned to him. He seemed a bit quiet after the incident with Gary. "Is something wrong?"

Cheren looked up, and I saw a hint of anger in his dark eyes. "The way that asshole looks at you, like you're a trophy to claim….it makes me pissed off." I hugged him comfortingly, like the way he used to do to me back in Unova. "Don't worry. He's way too much of an asshole for me to even consider him as a possible boyfriend."

Cheren let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks. That makes feel a bit better."

We walked into Viridian City, going straight for the PokeMart. We entered, and the clerk called us over. "Hey! You two from Pallet Town?"

I shared a glance with Cheren. "Um, yeah…" The clerk handed me a small package. _'Great, postal delivery.'_

"Give this to Professor Oak for me. His package came in today," the clerk explained. Holding back a sigh, I took the box. "Will do."

Cheren and I walked out of the mart, looking at each other. "So, I guess we give this to him?"

I shrugged, putting it in my bag for safekeeping. "Yeah. Shouldn't be too hard though." He nodded and fell in beside me as we went back to Pallet Town.

On the way, we did some small battles with wild Pokémon to level our new ones up. Charmander learned Ember, and Bulbasaur gained Leech Seed. So far so good.

We arrived in Pallet Town, and we headed straight to the lab. Professor Oak was waiting for us, and he had a knowing smile on his face. "So, you got the package?" I nodded and gave it to him. "Yeah."

Cheren pushed his glasses up. "Sir, you were right about Bulbasaur being easy to train. It seems to level up very fast." Oak nodded knowingly. "That little guy, in its fully evolved form, can pack a serious punch. One I would not want to be hit by. But then again, Charmander's full form is very powerful itself. Alana, be careful with that one."

I brought Charmander out, and he seemed to be very adorable to me, with his big eyes and small fire. Hard to believe he would turn into a hard to control creature. _'Well, look at Oshawott. He seemed cute too, and his final stage is that monster Samurott. At least he listened to me.'_

Gary burst into the lab, panting. "Gramps! I nearly forgot! What did you want me for?" Professor Oak was confused for a second before clapping his hands together. "Oh, that's right! I wanted you to do something important. You know that it has been my goal to get data on every Pokémon in the Kanto region. But I'm getting old. I need you three to get the dream for me. Cheren and Alana, you already have the most recent version of the Pokedex, so I don't need to give you one. But Gary, here you are."

Gary took the Pokedex, thrilled. "Sweet!" He turned to me and Cheren with a smirk. "I'm afraid to say it, but you won't be necessary for this. I know! I'll borrow a map from my sis! And tell her not to lend you any! Ha! Smell ya!"

As he left, I could feel annoyance bubble up as Gary blew a kiss at me. "Bye Sweetheart." I wasn't the only one pissed, as Cheren's dark eyes were narrowed. I rubbed his back. "Calm down."

Cheren eased up, shaking his head. "That guy really gets on my nerves." I laughed with him. "You're not the only one, Cheren. Now, let's go see Gary's sister."

We walked out, and it wasn't too hard to find the annoying teen's home. There were only five houses in the town itself.

We walked in, and we saw a girl with light hair sitting at a table. She looked up and gave us a wave. "I'm Daisy, Gary's sister." At least she seemed nice.

"I'm Alana, and this is Cheren. Professor Oak sent us to fill the Kanto Pokedex," I said. Daisy sighed and gave us a small map of the Kanto region. "Wow, he really is one lazy old man. Here; these will help you out."

I took one, placing it in my bag with my maps of both Sinnoh and Unova. I was starting to get quite the little collection.

Cheren looked at his, pushing his glasses back up onto his face. "To get through to Pewter City, we have to go straight through this Viridian Forest. Is it large?" Daisy shook her head. "Not really. You guys are from Unova, so it should be a bit easier. But the place is filled with kids who love to use Bug-type Pokémon, so be wary of battles. Not that heavily experienced Trainers like yourselves should really worry." At least I knew what I would have to deal with.

I tossed Charmander's ball up and down in my hand, my legs twitching with the excitement I thought would never return. _'It may be the third time I'm doing this, but it never seems to get old. A new region for me to explore…I might love it here.'_

The door burst open, and Professor Oak came in, his face flustered. He had another small ball in his hand, leaving me and Cheren confused. _'I thought we were given his last three Pokémon! What is this!?'_

Oak held the ball in front of him, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "In this ball is a Pokémon of great power and speed, one that was thought to be extinct. It's name….is Aerodactyl."

The ball opened, and the prehistoric terror was unleashed, baring its fangs. Cheren shared a glance at me. "Any ideas?" He had his Bulbasaur ready, and I could tell from his whitening knuckles that he was nervous.

But was there any real need to be? Could it all be that this was some sort of test, to see who could be the best Trainer for it? _'Very similar to both Dialga and Reshiram.'_

I locked my eyes with the Aerodactyl, refusing to flinch even as its teeth were bared. I knew that it could probably tear me to shreds if it wanted to.

I reached the prehistoric Pokémon, and I raised my hand to pet it on the back. The Aerodactyl let out a satisfied grumble, its eyes closing peacefully. Professor Oak began to clap in happiness. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! The only one to think of that tactic against it. Even Gary didn't think of that! Alana, I think you are the one who can train this Aerodactyl back into its true greatness."

He handed me to ball, sensing my slight annoyance at the mention of his grandson. "Don't worry; he's the one being unreasonable, not you." I took Aerodactyl's ball and resealed the ancient Pokémon. _'I doubt that it's going to be easy training this, but then again, neither was Hydreigon. She took a long time to warm up, and that was when she was still a Zweilous.'_

I looked at Cheren's face, marveling at how much he had grown and matured. He was still a year younger than me, but he was definitely much closer to manhood than a teenager.

'_Why am I thinking of him like this? He's only my friend, and I doubt he could ever see me in the same way.' _If only I knew how unreasonable I was being towards myself…

_**A/N: Whew, I'm glad this is done. After my recent profile purge, this story is one of my main concerns (along with Ruin, Jaune Arc's Legend, Agent Reach, and Our Lives Are Never Normal) and this is something new. I have not seen a CherenxOC fanfic yet, so I'm hoping I can go somewhere with this.**_


	2. Once Away

_**A/N: Been hit with a lot of motivation for this fic, and there will be some song names as chapters (like this one). If anyone knows the artist, tell me in a review. I do not own Pokémon or any characters apart from my OC. **_

**Slow Burning Lights**

_Summary: Unova was done for me. I had accomplished everything I possibly could. But I'm bored now. I went to Kanto with Cheren, but something still feels off. I trust him completely, but is it only trust or something more? Am I falling in love again?_

***Once Away***

I stood on the beginnings of Route 1, ready to begin my journey in Kanto. I had been to this region once before, while on vacation, but I never actually started a journey here.

Professor Oak was looking after my Unova Pokémon in his lab, along with Cheren's. We both didn't want to be ridiculously overkill. _'Says the one who has an Aerodactyl already.'_

I tossed Aerodactyl's ball in my hand. _'He's not the strongest, but at his Level 8 he's already faster than Charmander and Squirtle. He's gonna be fun to battle with.'_

Cheren was standing by my side as we walked to the very edge of Pallet Town. "You ready for this?" I looked at his dark eyes with my own. "Yes."

We stepped out of Pallet Town together, and I spotted a young man in the clothing of a clerk. _'I hope he's not one of those battling clerks.' _The ones in Unova loved to battle, but most were just showoffs.

He didn't see us, and we entered Viridian City, where an old man was standing in the middle of the path to the forest. I shared a glance with Cheren. "What is this about?"

The old man held out his hand. "I've had my coffee, and that's really what I needed to get going. So, you two are new Trainers, eh?" I shook my head, pulling out my ID Card to show him my badges from both Sinnoh and Unova. "No, sir. I'm a two-time Champion. I'm from Sinnoh."

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Is that so?" Cheren nodded and held out his ID as well. "Same here. I'm from Unova."

The old man seemed a little confused. "Unova? Then how are you two together?" I scratched the back of my neck. "Kinda a long story…"

Cheren sighed. "We know how to catch and train Pokémon, sir. We're not beginners, like many of the Trainers going through here the first time. Alana, do you still have her on you?"

I grabbed the ball from my waist. "You mean this?" I released Hydreigon, all three of her heads searching for a fight. The old man looked impressed. "Not bad at all. That thing is not exactly easy to use, it is?"

I called the hydra back. "No, it isn't. She has so much power in her attacks. In lesser hands, she could be very dangerous." Cheren, who had seen what Hydreigon's Draco Meteor attack could do to Cynthia's Garchomp, knew what I meant.

I had kept Hydreigon on me, partly because I needed a Pokémon who could use Fly. I didn't want to have to walk everywhere. Secondly, just in case Gary or someone else tried to do something to me. No one fucked with a three headed dragon.

The old man stepped aside. "Well, since you are not rookies, go on into Viridian Forest. Have fun getting through, for the place is a maze."

I wasn't exactly comfortable with Bug-types, for I had nearly died due to a Skorupi poisoning me when I was a kid back in Sinnoh. _'I hate bugs…with a passion.' _I only hoped the forest was small like the ones in Unova.

Cheren grabbed my hand, sending slight shivers up my spine. "Let's go." We walked to the very edge of Viridian City, and the entrance to the forest loomed. I began to feel those old memories from Sinnoh creep up, and I shook my head. _'It's not like that here! I actually have someone I trust with me. Plus, I'm not a little kid anymore.'_

Hydreigon's ball began to twitch slightly, and I knew she could feel my uneasiness. _'If worse comes to worse, I do have a three-headed dragon with me.' _

We walked into the forest, and the trees were much taller than the ones in Sinnoh and Unova; they seemed to reach for the sky. The tall grass tickled my legs slightly as the two of us began to trek through.

Daisy was right when she said there would be a few kids looking for Bug-type Pokémon; they were all over the place, yelling in excitement. "Hey! Adrian said he got a few!"

I watched the younger Trainers run around, all of them happy. _'Almost reminds me of when I caught my first Pokémon in Sinnoh. That was something I can't forget.' _A kid, about maybe 12 years old, caught my eye. "Hey! Let's have us a good match!" He released a small caterpillar-looking thing, and I felt the slight shivers whenever I encountered bugs. _'No need to worry. I have a Fire-type and a Rock/Flying. I got this.' _I tossed Charmander's ball in the air, releasing the small fire lizard. "Show 'em what you got!"

Cheren looked at his Pokedex before glancing at me. "That thing's called Caterpie. It shouldn't be too hard to defeat." Well, there's one thing that was reassuring.

"Caterpie, String Shot!"

"Ember!"

Charmander blew a small flicker of flames at the Caterpie, and the poor bug let out a strange squeal before it fainted. The young boy began to look nervous as he tossed out a Metapod. _'It's not much of a threat. All it can do is use Harden.' _"Charmander, finish it quickly! Ember!" The Metapod didn't stand a chance and fainted, a small glow signaling Charmander had grown again.

I checked my own Pokedex, and it confirmed Charmander was at level 9. Still, Aerodactyl was quicker in comparison, and he was a level lower. _'I should switch the training up a bit. I don't want to have one Pokémon get too strong. Then again, I have Hydreigon with me. That's already overkill compared to these kids.' _

Cheren finished a battle of his own and ran up to me. "Sorry. That one kid asked me for a match." I shook my head, holding Aerodactyl's ball in my hand. "It's all right." I let out a sigh as the light streamed through the trees, casting small shadows every few feet. _'Pretty.'_

Another kid, around the same age as the first one I battled, challenged me. "You can't run from a Trainer fight!" As he released another caterpillar bug, those same shivers were more intense as I saw the stinger on the end of its tail. _'That thing reminds me too much of that Skorupi.' _

Aerodactyl hissed at the small bug, and it looked uneasy as it tried to hide from the prehistoric terror's glare. The Trainer looked at the known terror with wide eyes as he tried to motivate his own Pokémon. "Weedle, get it together! String Shot!" He was trying to slow Aerodactyl down.

"Wing Attack!" Aerodactyl struck the Weedle with its wings, and the bug instantly fainted. The Trainer looked dejected as he handed me about 80 bucks worth of winnings. "I knew I shouldn't have battled you."

Aerodactyl glowed a bit, and I looked at my Pokedex to see he had learned a new move; Bite. _'For a low level Pokémon, this thing is pretty damn good. I like it.'_

Cheren pushed his glasses up as another young Bug Catcher challenged him. "Hey buddy! How about a match for Hot and Blonde?" It didn't take a genius to figure out he meant me.

Cheren threw out a Flying-type he had caught, a Pidgey, his eyes narrowed. "You better watch who you're talking to." He looked at his small bird, awaiting his command. "Pidgey, Gust!"

The small bird whipped up a gust of wind, and the Bug Catcher's Caterpie didn't stand a chance. Cheren smirked at the shocked reaction of the younger boy. "And believe it or not, the girl you just tried to hit on can probably destroy you without breaking a sweat."

The boy seemed skeptical and he scoffed. "Please. I doubt that." I felt a surge of annoyance. "What, you think just because I'm a girl that I can't win?" I balled my hand into a fist, and Hydreigon's ball began to twitch furiously. _'Uh oh. If she gets pissed enough… that kid's really going to regret it.'_

Cheren looked at me, and I tossed up Aerodactyl. As the kid's eyes widened, I petted one of Aerodactyl's wings. "Kid, you know what this is, don't you?" The kid nodded quickly, and he tried to back up. _'It looks like he's really scared now.'_

Cheren looked at the younger boy. "See? Just because she's a girl doesn't mean she's weak as a Trainer." The boy bowed his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so rude. Here, this is for you." He tossed me an Antidote, something I was grateful for. "Thank you."

We walked away, and Cheren let out a sigh. "Sometimes, I really hate how others treat you, like you're a trophy to be won." I rubbed his back. "I know. It bothers me too." _'He's being so protective of me. Could this mean…'_

'_Very funny Alana. Do you really think that he thinks of you like that?'_

A pair of Bug Catchers waved us over. "Hey, do you two want to do a Double Battle?" I glanced at Cheren, who shrugged. "It's your call." I looked back over at the two and nodded. "We'll do it."

The two ran over to us and released their own Pokémon, a Metapod and a Kakuna. _'They're defensive Trainers. Well then… I might need a little offensive power.' _I threw out Charmander, the small lizard eager to battle. Cheren tossed out Pidgey, and the battle began.

I looked over at Cheren, his eyes narrowed with concentration. "You take the Kakuna; I'll do the Metapod." I nodded and struck first. "Ember!" A few small flames surrounded the Kakuna before it could use Harden, and it fainted, the first Trainer out. She shrugged. "Ah well. I simply wasn't good enough."

I looked over at Cheren, and it seemed that his fight was also over. The other Trainer shook his hand. "It was fun. Thanks!"

The two Trainers pointed to a large gate up ahead. "That's the exit, and it goes straight to Pewter City. The best place to stay has got to be 'Pewter's Finest'. As the name implies, it is the finest hotel in the city. Hope you two have good luck on your journey!"

Cheren and I walked through the rest of the forest, and I let out a small sigh of relief as I saw the end. "Thank goodness. I was beginning to feel a bit nervous." That was a large understatement.

The city ahead was large, not nearly as big as Black City or Opelucid but still large. From what I could see, there was a Pokémon Center, a PokeMart, a Gym, a museum, and many other buildings, including that hotel the two Trainers mentioned in the forest.

I let out a small breath escape me. "Wow. Pewter City sure is different from what I expected." Several people were still out, even though it was beginning to get late. I faced Cheren. "We better see if we can get a room, as I really don't want to sleep on the streets." The serious teen laughed. "I hear you."

We walked into Pewter's Finest, and a receptionist looked up. "How may I help you?" She was very young, maybe only a year older than me. I leaned over the counter, brushing some hair from my face. "We're looking for a place to stay. Are there any rooms available?"

The woman began to blush a bit, and she seemed to be a bit flustered as she searched on the computer. She looked up. "There's only one room open, I'm afraid." I shrugged. "We'll take it."

The woman's face turned red again, and it took me a minute before I realized why. _'Ah shit. No wonder.'_ She thought Cheren and I were going to be doing something. It was my turn to turn red as I tried to correct it. "No, no! Not like that! We're just friends!"

The woman laughed as she handed me a key. "Your room is straight down the hall, on the left. Number 231"

I thanked her and dragged Cheren along, blushing furiously. _'Oh God, why did I even think of that!?'_

Cheren was also pink in the cheeks, and he tried to not look as embarrassed as me. "Um, I guess…I should probably take a shower first." He practically sprinted to the small bathroom, and I could hear the water turn on in a second.

I sighed and fell on the bed, my hair scattered across my face. _'Why me? Seriously, I want that question answered.' _I sat up and looked over at the bathroom door, able to hear the water. As usual, my mind didn't help with the situation. _'Hm, I wonder how he looks in the shower…'_

'_Fucking mind! Just stop! Why am I thinking of him like this!? What the actual hell is going on!?'_

I let out a groan and lay back down again, cursing myself. "I swear, I really do need some help." I pulled out my X-Transceiver and dialed Feya. My older sister picked up, a bit surprised. _"Alana? What's up?"_

I breathed into the phone a bit awkwardly. "Sis, I think I might need some serious help." I could hear the slight concern in Feya's voice. _"Why? What happened this time? Cheren didn't do anything to you, did he?"_

I shook my head quickly. "No, it's not that. It's just…well, I've been feeling a strange way again. Like…"

"_As if you like him, but can't admit it?"_

I let out a sigh. "Yes." I could hear Feya also let out a sigh. _"Alana, you know it would be better to admit to yourself that you do first, then tell him. Guys aren't exactly the brightest in this field."_

I couldn't really find much to argue with in that statement. "True. Speaking of romance, how are you and Cynthia?"

"_We're happy, although Cynthia is a bit upset that the one thing she can't beat me in is who controls the love-making-"_

"Just stop."

"_Seriously? Who are you, Rayquaza now?"_

I nearly face-palmed at the mention of the sarcastic dragon. "Don't remind me of when he caught Dialga and Mespirit in Opelucid. That was really embarrassing."

Feya laughed, and I could hear Cynthia in the background. _"I'll talk to you later, okay sis? Just remember what I said." _She hung up, and I groaned inwardly. _'Oh Goddammit. How can I be sure that I actually do like him and it's not just a stupid hormone rush?'_

The opening of the bathroom door caught my attention, and I felt the heat rush to my face. _'Oh my…'_

Cheren stepped out, minus his glasses, and he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. His body, nicely developed, was on full display for me. _'Okay, never mind. He has definitely got a hot body. Way better than that asshole Gary.'_

'_Plus, he's much more mature than that whiny little brat.'_

I found myself staring, completely enticed by his smooth chest. I might have accidently began to water at my mouth a bit.

Cheren turned around, saw me staring, and cleared his throat. "Um, Alana? Are you okay?" I blinked, and I began to blush so much. "S-sorry!" I grabbed a towel and ran into the bathroom, panting. I leaned against the door and slid all the way down, shaking my head. _'Okay, I think it is more than just a hormone rush and deprivation. I think that I'm…falling for him.'_

I undressed, turned on the water, and stepped inside the shower, humming some music. The hot water soothed the aches in my back, and I instinctively gently brushed the scars laced across my back from when Zekrom's Fusion Bolt attack threw me onto some shards of glass and cut me.

That still sent shivers, even though N was no longer an enemy but a friend. _'I really thought I would fail everyone at that time, even Cheren. If N won, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.'_

My X-Transceiver rang, and I groaned in annoyance. "Who is it now?" I turned off the water and stepped out, steam from the hot water pooling around my body. As I dried myself, I heard a knock on the door, along with Cheren's voice. "It's from someone I don't know. They say they want to talk to you."

I opened the door, a towel wrapped around me to cover the vital spots and I took the device. "I don't know that number." I answered, and I groaned as I heard possibly the most annoying person ever…of all time. It was Gary.

"_Hey Sweetheart, how about you show me some love and come to my room? I'll make you scream my name to the-"_

I cut the call off, disgusted. "I fucking hate that son of a bitch so much." Cheren's eyes were narrowed with anger as he had heard the call. "I'm going to kill him."

He made to go when I grabbed his arm. "Don't. He's not worth it. Please, for my sake." Cheren must have seen the desperation in my eyes, for he relaxed and sat down on the bed, wearing a pair of shorts. I ran through my bag, when Cheren let out a small cough. "Alana, you might want to pull that up a bit…"

Confused, I looked down and my eyes widened as I saw my breasts were beginning to pop out. "Waah!" It was one thing after another.

I covered up, hurrying to find a set of suitable clothing. I found a tank top and small shorts, quickly putting them on when Cheren went to find some tea.

I sighed and dried my hair, pulling it to one side. "This has been one strange day." Cheren came back with a pair of mugs, each with steam coming from the top. "Here."

I took one carefully, not trying to spill any on myself. "Thank you." I drank it quickly, a bit of red on my cheeks that I always got when I drank tea. Cheren ran a hand over his head. "So, we share the bed then?"

I shrugged. "I don't see why not." Cheren turned a bit red as he drank the rest of his tea. "I mean…"

I gave a small smile as I lay down, claiming the corner side. "We might as well get used to it." Cheren mumbled as he lay down next to me, pulling the covers over us. He set his glasses on one of the bedside tables, letting out a yawn. "G'night."

I found myself staring at his face for a moment later before I let my sleep take over. _'Once away, I'll want to know if this is how I truly feel…'_

_**A/N: Aw, what a tender moment. I am making Gary an asshole, mainly because I don't really like him. Next up is the first Gym battle! Whoo-hoo! Leave any suggestions that you may have!**_

_**Ja'ne!**_


	3. Falling Short

_**A/N: *sigh* I know, I need to be a bit more consistent with some of these fanfics, including this one, as I really have high hopes for it. The story will be picking up a bit as Cheren will be taking on Brock first, then Alana, but the romance will be a little later (I'm thinking either Celadon City or Fuchsia, depending. IDEK). But without further ado, here's number 3.**_

**Slow Burning Lights**

_Summary: Unova was done for me. I had accomplished everything I possibly could. But I'm bored now. I went to Kanto with Cheren, but something still feels off. I trust him completely, but is it only trust or something more? Am I falling in love again?_

***Falling Short***

I woke up, and the first thing I saw was Cheren, still sleeping so peacefully. With his dark hair scattered over his face, he looked so handsome, his breath slowly stirring strands of his hair. _'He looks different when he's sleeping. Even older.'_

I sat up, stretching. _'That was some good sleep. I think I can get used to this, sharing a bed with Cheren.' _Only then did I realize just how wrong that sounded. _'Oh Goddammit. That really came out terribly.' _It was a good thing that Feya wasn't here, or she would have said "Bow chicka bow wow." To say she was a perv was an understatement.

I must have woken Cheren, for he blinked tiredly, squinting as he didn't have his glasses on. "Alana? Are you up too?" He let out a yawn, fumbling for his glasses.

I nodded, letting out a yawn myself. "Yeah." Cheren got out of bed first, for I was the one on the inside. I followed suit, and I dug through my bag, searching for more suitable clothing.

I found a pair of shorts from Castelia City, although it was more appropriate to call them hot pants as they were rather, well, short. I sighed and picked them anyway. _'I just hope Gary doesn't try and whisk me away to his room.' _The thought of being in the same room as him made me shudder.

I also found a pair of socks and a small shirt, quickly throwing the clothing on. I looked at myself in the mirror, brushing my hair. _'I remember the time I couldn't look at myself, for the fear of being too broken. That was a horrible part of me that I don't want to go back to.'_

I heard something behind me, and I turned to see Cheren, fully dressed with his Pokémon clipped to his belt. He looked at me. "Ready?" I nodded, following him out of the room and past the reception desk, where thankfully we didn't see Gary. _'I don't want to be put in a sour mood this quickly in a day.'_

We left the hotel, and we were rewarded by a shining sun and the noise of a bustling city. I let out a contented sigh. "Ah, this is more like it." I may have been born in a small town, but the city life seemed to fit me better.

Cheren agreed with my remark. "Ah, the memories of Castelia and Opelucid are resurfacing. I miss those places, especially that battle against Drayden. He was a good man." The final Gym Leader of Unova was a Dragon Trainer, and he had recognized me as having a very close bond with my Hydreigon, still a Zweilous then, and taught her Draco Meteor, the most powerful Dragon attack.

I smiled and leaned against him. "Those were the days."

I saw the Gym of Pewter City ahead, and I pointed to it. "Should we try it?" Cheren stroked his chin. "I think we should do it one at a time. If you want, I can go first and tell you what type it is."

I paused. _'Hm, he does have a point. I don't want to be the one who goes in with the wrong type and gets humiliated in a battle. That time in Sinnoh against the Steel Gym was bad enough.'_

I nodded. "Okay then. I'll be at the museum, so you'll know where to find me." Cheren nodded and left, casting a glance. "I'll see you soon then." He almost sounded sad to go without me.

I watched him go, and I let out a small sigh. _'I'm falling short of admitting my affection of Cheren to myself. I need some time to think a bit.'_

I walked to the museum, and the first person I saw inside made me groan with frustration. _'Why the fuck is he here?' _Gary.

A woman at the counter cleared her throat. "Excuse me miss, but there is a ten dollar fee to enter. Would you like to come in?" I handed her a few bills and stepped inside, trying my best to ignore Gary.

The brunette whistled in my direction. "Hey Sweetheart, you look a little lonely over there." I narrowed my eyes and glared in his direction. "Shut up. I am not in the mood to be dealing with your shit."

Gary tried to wrap his arm around me when I shoved him, hard. He stumbled a bit, an amused smirk on his face. "Feisty, aren't you? I like that in a girl."

I hissed angrily, beginning to seethe. "Just shut the fuck up!" Hydreigon's ball began twitching furiously, and I could tell she was also pissed off. _'If he makes one more comment, she's coming out and teaching him a lesson.'_

With Gary being the arrogant idiot he was, he did. "Come on, I just want to make you moan-" There was a flash of light, and Hydreigon appeared, roaring angrily.

Gary gulped. "…" I stalked over and smacked him, my hand stinging from the impact. "Complete that sentence, and I will blast you out of this place and into a hospital bed." Hydreigon rumbled something in agreement, her fangs bared.

Gary backed away, looking towards the exit. I narrowed my eyes and jerked my head. "Leave. Otherwise, you will need an ambulance." Gary bolted out, and I was aware of many stares as I resealed Hydreigon. "Thank you. I swear, he really is an asshole who needs to get off of his high horse."

I ignored the looks and started to walk around, taking in some of the Kanto region's history and legends. The image of a small flying cat caught my eye, and I looked closer at the name. "This is a painting of Mew, a legendary Psychic Pokémon believed to be just a myth." _'Interesting.'_

Another painting, this time of three birds, was next to it. "These are the winged mirages: Zapdos, the bird of lightning; Arcticuno, the bird of ice; and Moltres, the bird of fire." _'I take it no one has managed to even get a good look at one for long.'_

"Alana!" I heard someone, someone I was happy to gear, call my name. I turned around to see Cheren running towards me, waving his arm. "Hey Cheren. How was it?"

The serious teen panted, trying to catch his breath. "It's…a Rock Gym. Unless Charmander has an attack that can beat an Onix, you will be beaten badly for the type disadvantage is too great, even for a highly skilled Trainer." I sucked my teeth. "Damn. I was hoping it wasn't that. Bugger."

I searched through my bag, hoping I could find a good TM for Charmander to use without being too overpowered. _'Let's see: Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Flame Charge…' _None of those were suitable for a battle against an Onix.

I glanced at Charmander's ball, and I saw he was maybe one quick battle against a wild Pokémon away from leveling up to 14. _'Hopefully he gets something good out of it.'_

I walked out of the museum, with Cheren behind me. "It looks like I might need a quick fight to level up. Otherwise, I'm definitely screwed." _'And not in the way I want to be…oh Goddammit. I really hate you brain.'_

Cheren paused, thinking. "Wait, why don't we battle and you can gain that level by fighting me? We'll only use our starters, and it's the quickest way."

I froze, not because he made sense, but because I didn't want to take advantage of him like that. "Are you sure?" Cheren nodded, no glimmer of doubt in his dark eyes. "Yes. I'd rather help you become a three-time Champion than let Gary take it."

I nodded, Charmander out. "Okay then. Let's do this." Cheren brought out Bulbasaur, and our mock battle began. "Vine Whip!"

"Ember!"

The two vines struck the small lizard just as the flames landed, and Charmander barely flinched, having the type advantage. The Bulbasaur stumbled, and Charmander racked his claws down the side of the green dinosaur before glowing a bit brighter, alerting to a level raise.

I looked at my Pokedex, and I smiled as I saw Charmander had learned Metal Claw, a very useful attack. _'If I get lucky, that move will also raise the Attack stat, and the battle can be won easier.'_

I hugged Cheren, slightly surprising him. "Thank you." He ran a hand through my hair, smiling. "No problem."

Charmander bounced around, seemingly happy, and I chuckled. "Alright, let me get you fixed up before I take on the Gym, okay?" I tossed Cheren a Revive, and he healed his Bulbasaur. "I'll be waiting at our room. Be sure to fill me in on the results, okay? I'm always interested in the outcomes of good fights."

I began to jog to the Gym, waving goodbye. "See you!" Charmander kept up, chirping away happily. I gave the small fire lizard a pat on the head. "Don't worry; you'll do fine, I promise. Even if we don't win the first time, what matters is we did our best."

I stepped inside, letting out a small sigh as I only saw two Trainers inside, the one in the back obviously the leader.

The man at the entrance bowed. "Yo, Champ in the making! The leader of this Gym, Brock, uses Rock-type Pokémon, so be wary of his attacks as Flying and Bug-types are not so good to use."

I narrowed my eyes in concentration and pressed on, stopping as the first Trainer challenged me. "Stop! You are ten thousand light years away from facing Brock, love!"

He threw out a ball. "Geodude!" The small Rock-type was good defensively, but rather slow and lacking offensive strength at the low level of 10. _'Should be easy, then.'_

"Charmander, Metal Claw!"

"Mud Sport!"

I shared a confused glance with Charmander after he finished his attack and nearly took the Geodude out in one hit. _'Huh? Isn't that a move to weaken electricity's power? Who is dumb enough to use an Electric-type in a battle against a Rock/Ground Pokémon?'_

I let out a sigh. "Metal Claw, again! Finish it!" Charmander's steel claws raked down the side of the Geodude, and it finally fainted, falling on the ground. The Trainer wasn't too pleased as he sent out a small shrew. "Sandshrew, go!"

'_Bugger. I'm going to have to use Aerodactyl for this one,' _I thought, tossing out the prehistoric terror and calling back Charmander. "Charmander, return! Go, Aerodactyl!"

The Trainer looked nervous, for he had clearly never seen one. "I thought that thing was extinct!" I snapped my fingers, and Aerodactyl lunged. "You thought wrong. Bite!"

Aerodactyl sank his fangs into the Sandshrew and bit with every ounce of power. The Sandshrew's eyes lolled before it collapsed. Aerodactyl loomed over it, ready to finish it for good when I put my hand out. "Aerodactyl, stand down! You only needed to make it faint, nothing more! Do you understand?"

Aerodactyl glanced back and forth before nodding, allowing itself to be resealed. As the Trainer tended to the badly wounded Pokémon, I tossed out a Revive and Potion. "Here; it's the least I can do. I didn't think he would try to actually kill."

The young man looked grateful as he healed his Pokémon. "You're hot, but not as hot as Brock. Go on and face him."

As I walked forward, his words made me laugh. _'Oh dear, I would have never suspected he was gay. It does make it more interesting.'_

The leader, Brock, stood with his arms folded across his chest. He was a young man, maybe in his late teens, with tan skin, dark hair, and very small eyes. "Hello there, love. I am Brock, the leader of this Gym. I take it you are here to challenge me?"

I nodded. "Yes." Brock smirked and threw a ball in the air. "These kinds of contests always bring out the best in me, so let's have a good fight!" He released a Geodude, level 12.

I threw out Charmander, and the small fire lizard seemed a little on edge. It was only his first actual serious match, so it was understandable. "Charmander, remember what I said. Even if we fall short, just try and do the best you can." The small lizard blinked before getting back in a stance, ready.

I looked up, my eyes determined. "Let's do this. Charmander, Metal Claw!"

"Geodude, Tackle!" Charmander stepped to the side to avoid the attack before lashing out with his claws, breaking the Rock/Ground-type's tough skin and causing it to flinch. I saw Charmander was getting into his grove, with his Attack rising a bit. _'Good. If it gets high enough, he can be ready to take out that Onix.'_

Brock narrowed his eyes. "Defense Curl!" Geodude tried to curl into a ball, but Charmander's Attack had grown a bit, so it was still even.

"Metal Claw!" Charmander raked his steel claws down Geodude's side once more, and it fainted, Brock calling the beaten Pokémon back. "Not bad at all. Even though you are using a Fire-type, you still are kept in this fight."

He smirked again as he threw out his last Pokémon, an Onix. "Go, Onix!" The Rock/Ground-type was huge, easily over 28 feet long. Not to mention that its skin was pretty tough, so it could take some serious abuse. _'We'll see for how long it can last.' _"Charmander, Ember!"

The lizard blew out a pair of small flames, and to my surprise the Onix let out a cry as it was burned. _'Wow, I did not expect that one.'_

But it was still standing, and Brock was aware. "Rock Tomb!" Several large boulders dropped down, and Charmander barely dodged that attack. A good thing too, for I seriously doubted he would have been able to survive. _'I'm lucky that move missed. Although Charmander has a big Speed and Attack advantage, it's still low on health, even when fully healed. I have to be more careful.'_

Charmander got back up, having avoided the attack, and Brock seemed impressed. "Very fast little guy, isn't he? Nothing less of what I expected."

I smiled back at him. "Oh, why thank you. But I am afraid I need to end this before I lose badly. Metal Claw!"

"Wrap!"

Onix tried to wrap its body around Charmander, but the smaller Pokémon squeezed under a small spot and scratched fiercely, the Onix letting out a grumble before it slammed on the ground, beaten. I had won.

Brock smiled and shook my hand, handing me a small badge. "Here's the Boulder Badge. This is proof that you have beaten me and will allow you to go on to the next big city, Cerulean. Test your skill against the leader there, and go on forward."

Charmander tugged at my arm, glowing incredibly bright. I shielded my eyes, and when it faded away Charmander was gone. In its place was a slightly larger lizard, with a single horn on the back of its head and a bigger flame at the end of its tail. _'What is that?'_

I looked at my Pokedex, where it confirmed that Charmander had evolved into a Charmeleon. _'Wow, this guy looks a bit tougher than it did about ten seconds ago. I really do want to see what this turns into after it is trained enough.' _Although I probably wouldn't be able to see that for a while. Ah well.

I left the Gym, and I was rewarded by Cheren standing outside, a small smile on his face. "I heard. Good job on evolving Charmander too. It looks like it'll be a little more interesting." I looked down and saw that his Bulbasaur was replaced by a larger dinosaur, with a larger plant bulb on its back.

Cheren waved to it. "This is the newly evolved Ivysaur. From what Professor Oak told me, this thing grows fast, and I should be able to take on the second Gym with it easily."

I let out a sigh. "Let me guess; the next one is Water." Cheren nodded, an apologetic smile on his face. "Yeah, sorry. But, the good news is that there are a few Grass-types just outside of Cerulean, so it shouldn't be too bad. Especially with your training skills."

I pursed my lips, tapping Charmeleon's ball. "I think you may have to learn a few moves to be competitive. Aerodactyl too. Okay, time to make that old dino as strong as possible."

Cheren watched as I began to flick through my TMs with an amused smirk on his face. "What are you going to give them?"

I held up two TMs, tossing them for him to see. He caught them and an eyebrow rose. "Dragon Claw? You're gonna give that move to both of them?" I shook my head. "Nah, just Aerodactyl. Charmeleon has a better Special Attack, so I think he will get Flamethrower."

Cheren gave me a strange look. "Isn't that a bit overpowered? I mean, giving Aerodactyl Dragon Claw?"

I shrugged. "Hey, it's not like I'm giving him Hyper Beam or Fire Blast. Now that would be the very definition of overpowered." Cheren chuckled. "Fair enough."

I taught Aerodactyl the new attack, and he seemed a bit eager to fight. Perhaps a little too eager. _'I need to find another Trainer to battle. Let's see how this bad boy works.'_

On the outskirts of Pewter City, I spotted a bunch of Trainers hanging out by a trail leading up to the mountain looming over. _'Perfect.'_

I spied a young Lass, sitting by her lonesome, and I walked over towards her, Aerodactyl's ball in my hand. _'This shouldn't be too difficult. Well, hopefully.' _The girl had to be no older than thirteen or fourteen, and she caught my eye. "Excuse me! You looked at me, didn't you?"

She threw out a ball, and a Pidgey appeared, a bit nervous as it saw me throw out Aerodactyl. "Time to test out your new move."

The girl gulped and tried to hit first. "Gust!" The Pidgey whipped up a small gust of wind with its wings, and Aerodactyl didn't even flinch as the Flying-type attack did little to harm him. I gave the prehistoric terror a nod. "Dragon Claw!"

Aerodactyl swooped down and slashed the Pidgey with its claws, and the small bird was simply unable to handle the attack and fainted. Aerodactyl growled as the girl quickly tossed out another Pidgey, as if she thought it would change things. "Go, quick!"

I snapped my fingers. "Wing Attack!" Aerodactyl struck the second Pidgey with its wing, and it too fainted, the girl having no more usable Pokémon. She let out a sigh as she handed me some money. "Well, that didn't go well. That thing is really strong."

I rubbed Aerodactyl's wings, the Pokémon letting out a grumble of satisfaction. "Yeah, and he's not the easiest thing to train either."

I met a Bug Catcher, who looked quite familiar. He pointed at me. "Hey, I know you! We battled in Viridian Forest!" He threw out a Weedle, and even though I knew it was most likely not going to hit me, I still felt uneasy around bugs. _'Calm down. Just take a few deep breaths and remember that it is not a Skorupi.' _

I threw out Charmeleon, who was eager to fight. "Go! Ember!" The fire lizard blew out a small flame, and the Weedle let out a squeal s it got hit, fainting. The Bug Catcher withdrew his fainted Pokémon and threw out a Kakuna. "It's not going to end the same way as it did back then!" He tried to sound defiant, but I could hear the intense nervousness in his voice. _'Well, I sort of feel bad that this kid had to go up against a two-time Champion…twice.'_

I let out a small sigh. "Ember, again!" Charmeleon blew out a small flame again, and the Kakuna fell on the ground in exhaustion. The Bug Catcher shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "Still out of my league. Here you go."

He handed me about 80 bucks in winnings, and I came across a Youngster, his yellow cap on backwards and wearing shorts. "I like shorts! They're delightfully comfortable and easy to wear!"

He tossed out a small purple snake, and its glare seemed very intimidating to say the least. _'That's got to be a Poison-type.' _A look at my Pokedex confirmed it, and I nearly laughed at the name. _'Wow, it's called Ekans. I notice that it spells snake backwards. How fitting.'_

"Charmeleon, you're up! Ember!" The Ekans hissed as the small flames struck it, burning the skin. It lunged at the fire lizard and bit it, making Charmeleon hiss in annoyance and slight pain. His health was still pretty solid though.

I brushed several loose strands of hair from my face before giving the next command. "Charmeleon, Metal Claw!" He slashed the Ekans with his steel claws, and the purple snake fainted.

The Youngster's eyes widened as he saw his Pokémon faint, for he had thought he might have been able to do at least some damage. He let out a sigh of disappointment. "Damn. I thought I would at least get something. Good job."

I saw Cheren battle another Bug Catcher, and he was using his Pidgey to battle a Metapod. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he gave his order to the small bird. "Quick Attack!" The Pidgey lunged forward and struck the Metapod in one lightning-fast movement. The cocoon bug tried to steel itself by using Harden, but its health was too low to prevent it from fainting, the Bug Catcher not happy."Aw, come on!"

Cheren recalled his Pokémon, glancing over at me. "Oh, hey Alana. The mountain ahead is called Mt. Moon, and there are some Moon Stones inside. It also turns out to be the only way through to Cerulean City." I shrugged, tossing a small package of Potions and Revives in the air. "I think we might want to get some extra Pokeballs though, just in case we stumble across some wild Pokémon we like."

Cheren gave me an amused look. "Don't you have a bunch of Ultra Balls from Unova though? I recall you buying about 300 of them at once when you went after Volcarona." I groaned at the mention of the Bug/Fire Pokémon. "That thing gave me a massive headache, and I was quite pissed by the effort it took. It nearly took out Hydreigon in one hit!"

Cheren's glasses fell down his face slightly. "Seriously? That's pretty impressive. The fact it even got a hit on that hydra of yours is a pretty good feat."

I let out a sigh as I flicked through my bag, and sure enough, he was right. I still had at least a hundred of the damn balls left. I shook my head and stood up, looking at Mt. Moon towering above us. _'It's not nearly as big as Mt. Coronet.' _

We walked towards a Pokémon Center at the foot of the mountain, both of us wanting to be fully healed before we set foot into a remote place.

I saw some movement in the grass, and I threw out Aerodactyl, quickly striking the Pokémon. A small purple Pokémon with a large horn on its head fell out, with Aerodactyl looking incredibly smug. I rolled my eyes as I threw out an Ultra Ball, catching the wounded Pokémon.

I looked at my Pokedex, and I saw that I had just caught a male Nidoran, a Poison-type Pokémon. _'The barbs on this Pokémon are packed with a powerful poison that grows stronger as it matures. Well, this is interesting.'_

Cheren looked over at me, putting a ball on his belt. "What did you get?" I held up the ball. "It's a Nidoran. What about you?"

Cheren tossed his ball up and down. "Mankey. Mine's a Fighting-type, and I take it yours is a Poison?" I nodded and began to trek towards the Pokémon Center. "Yeah. Let's go get healed up quick, and Hydreigon will now be able to Fly us here if we ever need to return."

We entered the Center, and I let Cheren heal his Pokémon first while I looked through some books, trying to find any good ones. A middle aged man with a bald spot on his head waved over to me. "Well, aren't you a nice young lass? I'll tell you what: I'll let you have a secret Pokémon, a Magikarp, for just 500 bucks! How about it?"

I leaned forward, my mouth close to his ear and I whispered, "You know, I'm not as gullible as some of these other poor idiots you manage to scam. Technically, I'm pretty sure that what you're trying to do, selling without a license, is illegal."

The man narrowed his eyes in anger and fear. "Are you threatening me?" I scoffed, waving my hand. "Please. That was me merely telling you to think about who you try to bribe next time. I'm not spending a ridiculous 500 dollars for a fucking Magikarp."

The man's face soured and he walked away, leaving the Center in an attempt to find some other Trainer to screw over. I sucked my teeth in irritation as I watched him go. _'Slimy git. I really hate people like that.' _

Cheren put his arm across my shoulder, slightly startling me. "Alana? What was that all about?" I let out a sigh. "Remember that guy on Marvelous Bridge who sold me that Magikarp that is now a Gyarados? Well, this asshole tried to do the same thing, except he didn't have a license like the other bloke."

Cheren narrowed his eyes at the retreating man's back. "Do you have that Gyarados on you?" I checked my waist, shaking my head. "No. I only have Charmeleon, Aerodactyl, Nidoran, and Hydreigon for Fly. I don't exactly feel like walking everywhere. That is way too tiring."

Cheren let out an amused chuckle as I healed my Pokémon for the hike through Mt. Moon. "I hear you." We exited the Center, and he looked up at the mountain towering above us, his hand over his eyes to shield them from the harsh glare of the sun. "It might take us a few hours to get through. Although it isn't anywhere near as big as Twist Mountain, per say, it's unfamiliar and we won't know our way through completely."

Cheren entered the mountain first, and I stared at his back, rubbing the old scars on my lower arms. _'I wanted to admit it to myself, but I couldn't. At this rate, I'm always going to fall short.'_

I exhaled, my eyes closed before I entered behind him, entering the dark lair of Mt. Moon. _'I only hope that I can say it to myself before it is too late.'_

_**A/N: *pants* Whew, that was a long chapter…but I hope it was good! Next up is the beginning of Alana and Cheren's meetings with Team Rocket and maybe more new Pokémon for them. Any suggestions are welcome.**_

_**Ja'ne!**_


End file.
